Round head ratchet wrench



Jan. 24, 1956 J. J. DELISO ROUND HEAD RATCHET WRENCH Filed June 24, 1952 IN V EN TOR. JOhW J. DEL/50 firropwsv United States Patent ROUND HEAD RATCHET WRENCH John J. Deliso, Shrewsbury, Mass.

' Application June 24, 1952, Serial No. 295,147

3 Claims. (Cl. 192-431) This invention relates to new and improved round head ratchet wrenches and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of a positively acting trouble-free ratchet wrench of the class described that is simple in nature and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a ratchet wrench having a handle, a round head, a rotary plate, a pair of pins therein, a pawl pivoted on each pin, each pawl having a rounded portion that bears on a rounded recess in the plate to avoid wear on the pin when the pawl is turned from operative to inoperative position; and the provision of a ratchet wrench as described provided with a pair of pawls and a pawl actuator, so that the pawls may be manually set for either right or left-hand operation or for fixed operation in either direction at the same time, wherein the manual means for setting the pawls is provided with a relatively sharp shoulder portion receiving into a notch in a finger on each respective pawl to lock the same in inoperative condition, so that there is no possibility of turning a member by the wrench in any direction but that desired, and the manual control device is positively held from slipping out of locking condition relative to the pawl.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the pawl mechanism shown with a cover member for the wrench omitted;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a pawl retracted;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the plate;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, the reference numeral indicates a handle which may be as long as desired and at its end is provided with a circular head 12 which may be integral with the handle or secured thereto. This head is provided interiorly thereof with integral teeth 14 which extend around the entire 360 degree interior periphery thereof.

Within this head in the area of the teeth, there is pro vided a rotary plate 16, the details of which are mainly shown in Figs. 3 and 5, this plate being completely circular and having a sector-shaped radial projection 18 extending up from a pair of flats 20 and 22. Each of these flats is provided with a vertical wall 24, 26 respectively, defining the projection 18, a rounded recess or circular wall 28, 30 respectively, and another wall at an angle to the first wall as indicated at 32, 34 respectively.

The walls 24, 28, 32 on the one hand and 26, 30 and 34 on the other hand provide the operative reception area for the respective pawls 36 and 38. These pawls each are provided with outwardly facing teeth 40 which are adapted to engage and lock the teeth 14 in the head, by a jamming action. The teeth are not actually necessary for operation of the present device but act as positive locking means. Each pawl has a shape somewhat similar to that of the flats but the edges of the pawls form a nar- 2 rower angle than the angle between the walls of the flats, so that each pawl has a limited range of pivoted movement about the respective pawl pins 42 as axes.

Each pawl is provided with an arc-shaped end portion 44 that rides against the curved walls 28 and 30 in the pivoted motion of the pawls. The wear is taken on these surfaces just described and not on the pawl pins, so that the pins never wear out. These pins are capable of dropping out of their holes 46 being loosely mounted therein, and do not form wearing or bearing elements of any kind.

The plate 16 is also provided with a pair of raised portions 48 which providea flat area 50 therebetween for the reception of fingers 52 on the respective pawls. The fingers 52 are each provided with a notch 54 adjacent the curved areas 44. Flat 50 is elevated from flats 20 and 22.

A manually operated knob 56 is mounted on a shaft 58 to which is secured a square ended operator 60. This operator may be turned in order to force either finger 52 in a direction to positively retract the teeth of the selected pawl out of engagement with teeth 14 on the head and the square end 60 drops into the respective notch 54, posi tively locking the pawl in inoperative position, see Fig. 2. However, it is an easy and simple matter to manually turn knob 56 to retract the square-ended operator 60 from the notch and from the finger, and in intermediate position as shown in Fig. 1, pawl springs 62 provide that both pawls are in operative condition. As the device is shown in Fig. 1, it acts as a fixed wrench operable in both directions. As shown in Fig. 2, one of the pawls is positively retracted and the wrench will operate in a single direction only, but if the operator 60 is swung around degrees, the other pawl will be inoperative and the wrench will operate in the other direction only. A cover plate 64 closes the head 12 and also receives the shaft 58 and the ends of pins 42 opposite from the ends thereof in plate 16.

It is to be noted that the walls of the pawls engage the walls of the flats 20 and 22 in the various conditions as represented and of course these walls therefore act as stops and properly position the pawls for the respective operations required of it. Numeral 66 represents a socket operator secured to the plate 16.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. A ratchet wrench comprising a head, a plate therein, a pair of pins, a pawl pivoted on each pin, springs urging the pawls oppositely, into engagement with the head, a flat area on the plate for each pawl, a pair of mutually angular walls defining each fiat area, each pawl being located between the walls of its fiat area and being sectorshaped, each pawl having a pair of angular side edges arranged at an angle less than that of the flat area walls, the pawl edges abutting the respective walls in each extreme position of pivoting motion, the walls of each flat area being connected by a curved wall in continuation thereof, each pawl at its apex being rounded to fit its respective curved wall and bearing thereon, avoiding wear on the pawl pins, a finger on each pawl projecting rear- Wardly therefrom past the respective curved wall, the latter having an opening to accommodate the finger, means selectively disengaging the pawls from the head, and means on the plate for ratchet operation in either direction of rotation of the head, said pawl disengaging means comprising a shaft mounted for rotative action in the head, a radial operator thereon engaged by both fingers under action of the springs to yieldingly hold the operator in neutral position.

2. A ratchet wrench comprising a head, a rotary plate therein, a pair of pivoted pawls on the plate for engagement with the head, springs urging the pawls toward such engagement, a free-ended finger on each pawl, a manual pawl actuator in position to engage the free end of either finger selectively ride down the finger and retract the engaged pawl from the head against the action of the re spective spring, each finger having a notch adjacent its juncture with it's pawl for locking reception of the actuator in extreme retracted condition of the pawl, each spring urging the pawl to latch the finger in the respective notch.

3. A ratchet wrench comprising a head, a rotary plate therein, a pair of pivoted 'pawls on the plate for engagement with the head, springs urging the 'pawls toward such engagement, a free-ended finger on each pawl, a manual pawl actuator in position to engage the free end of either finger selectively ride down the finger and retract the engaged pawl from the head against the action of the respective spring, each finger having a notch adjacent its juncture with its pawl for locking reception of the actuator in extreme retracted condition of the pawl, said notches and actuator being relatively square edged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 470,954 Sinclair Mar. 15, 1892 544,260 Kelley Aug. 6, 1895 581,427 Olson Apr. 27, 1897 1,177,764 Dodge Apr. 4, 1916 1,203,685 Baker Nov. 7, 1916 2,020,883 Gagne Nov. 12, 1935 2,233,091 Becker Feb. 25, 1941 2,407,558 Kres's Sept. 10, 1946 2,554,990 Kilness May 29, 1951 

